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08. Sudden Leave

Author: Itschaconne
last update Last Updated: 2024-11-08 23:09:09

Ariadne stood motionless as Gideon approached, a faint tension tightening her posture. As Andymon and Patrick discreetly withdrew, Gideon’s smile deepened—a smile that always carried a vague, unsettling edge, though she couldn’t quite place why it unnerved her.

“Is something bothering you?” he asked smoothly. Ariadne didn’t respond, instead averting her gaze to avoid his piercing look.

“Ah, it’s evident you feel out of place here, with your... new status,” he continued, his voice laced with amusement. “You’ve even gone to lengths to try to escape.” A smothered laugh escaped him, and Ariadne shot him a cold, sharp look.

Gideon leaned casually against a pillar on the loggia, overlooking the vast swimming pool and serene courtyard beyond. The relaxed setting felt at odds with the tension simmering between them.

Gideon watched her with a curious tilt of his head. “Is there anything you’d like to complain about when it comes to Max?”

Ariadne gave him a frosty, piercing look before replying
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